Anwar Fazal-A Breastfeeding Advocate Extraordinaire.

Anwar Fazal has been a driving force in the founding of several civil society organizations in the areas of health, human rights, environment, and peace, that have been at the forefront of activism locally, nationally, and globally. In this interview, he shares his journey of 6 decades, involving a multiverse of public interest issues, which led him into the breastfeeding movement. It began with the setting up of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), a pioneering action that triggered the formation of Health Action International (HAI), Pesticide Action Network (PAN), and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA).

Efficient cavity-assisted storage of photonic qubits in a solid-state quantum memory.

We report on the high-efficiency storage and retrieval of weak coherent optical pulses and photonic qubits in a cavity-enhanced solid-state quantum memory. By using an atomic frequency comb (AFC) memory in a Pr:YSiO  crystal embedded in an impedance-matched cavity, we stored weak coherent pulses at the single photon level with up to 62% efficiency for a pre-determined storage time of 2 µs. We also confirmed that the impedance-matched cavity enhances the efficiency for longer storage times up to 70 µs.

The Efficacy and Safety of Levosimendan in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure: An Updated Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Intermittent ambulatory levosimendan administration has been shown in several small randomized controlled trials to benefit patients with advanced heart failure, preventing heart failure rehospitalization and mortality. We aim to investigate the totality of high-quality evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of intermittent levosimendan in advanced heart failure patients.

Methods: Up to September 2023, we systematically reviewed the randomized controlled trials indexed in PubMed, Embase Cochrane, SCOPUS, and Web of Science.

The effect of intensive blood pressure lowering on left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: We conducted a comprehensive systematic review to examine the efficacy of intensive blood pressure lowering on the risk of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and EMBASE for all relevant randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome was the incidence of left ventricular hypertrophy.

Left Main Coronary Artery Spasm During Cryoballoon Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Although phrenic nerve and esophageal injury are commonly known risks associated with cryoablation, there is limited literature regarding coronary artery spasm (CAS), a serious and potentially fatal complication of cryoablation. We report the case of a 68-year-old Caucasian female who developed a left main CAS with a significant hemodynamic compromise during cryoablation. The patient, with a history of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and symptomatic persistent atrial fibrillation, was admitted for elective catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Urinothorax and pseudo-azotemia following total abdominal hysterectomy: a case report.

Background: Pleural effusion is a common pulmonary condition affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Pleural effusion of extravascular origin (PEEVO) pertains to a pleural effusion that does not originate from the pulmonary vasculature. True prevalence of PEEVO, such as urinothorax, is unclear in view of the absence of clear diagnostic criteria.

New-onset atrial fibrillation among COVID-19 patients: A narrative review.

Over the last three years, research has focused on examining cardiac issues arising from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, including the emergence of new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF). Still, no clinical study was conducted on the persistence of this arrhythmia after COVID-19 recovery. Our objective was to compose a narrative review that investigates COVID-19-associated NOAF, emphasizing the evolving pathophysiological mechanisms akin to those suggested for sustaining AF.

Prevalence of respiratory failure and use of mechanical ventilation in heart failure patients undergoing left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation.

Background: We sought to evaluate respiratory complications in heart failure patients undergoing left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.

Methods: Adult admissions (>18 years) undergoing LAAO during 2016-2020 were identified from the National Inpatient Sample. Heart failure (HF) was stratified into systolic (SHF) and diastolic heart failure (DHF) and were compared to those without HF.

Using Augmented Mean Arterial Pressure to Identify High Mortality Risk Patients With Moderate Aortic Stenosis.

Objective: To study the usefulness of a novel echocardiographic marker, augmented mean arterial pressure (AugMAP = [(mean aortic valve gradient + systolic blood pressure) + (2 × diastolic blood pressure)] / 3), in identifying high-risk patients with moderate aortic stenosis (AS).

Patients And Methods: Adults with moderate AS (aortic valve area, 1.0-1.

Adding Pharmacist-Led Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring to Usual Care for Blood Pressure Control: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Health systems have been quickly adopting telemedicine throughout the United States, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are limited data on whether adding pharmacist-led home blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring to office-based usual care improves BP. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase for randomized controlled trials from January 2000 until April 2022, comparing studies on pharmacist-led home BP telemonitoring with usual care.

Contact Force-Guided versus Contact Force-Blinded Cavo-Tricuspid Isthmus Ablation for Atrial Flutter: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Contact force (CF) is a novel approach developed to increase the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation. However, the value of CF-sensing technology for atrial flutter (AFL) cavo-tricuspid isthmus ablation (CTIA) is inconclusive. To generate a comprehensive assessment of optimal extant data on CF for AFL, we synthesized randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies from Web of Science, SCOPUS, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane until 29 November 2022, using the odds ratio (OR) for dichotomous outcomes and mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI).

Defibrillation strategies for refractory ventricular fibrillation out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: Double sequential external defibrillation (DSED) and vector-change defibrillation (VCD) have been suggested to enhance clinical outcomes for patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF) refractory of standard defibrillation (SD). Therefore, this network meta-analysis aims to evaluate the comparative efficacy of DSED, VCD, and SD for refractory VF.

Methods: A systematic review and network meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative observational studies retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, WOS, SCOPUS, and Cochrane through November 15th, 2022.

Using Artificial Intelligence in Predicting Ischemic Stroke Events After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Ischemic stroke (IS) is an uncommon but severe complication in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Despite significant morbidity and economic cost associated with post PCI IS, a validated risk prediction model is not currently available.

Aims: We aim to develop a machine learning model that predicts IS after PCI.

Outcomes of Heart Failure Hospitalizations in Adult Patients With Coarctation of Aorta: Report From National Inpatient Sample.

Coarctation of aorta (CoA) is a common congenital anomaly which portends patients to early diastolic and systolic heart failure. In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of CoA on heart failure hospitalization. Using the national inpatient sample, the study compared the outcomes of heart failure hospitalization between patients with and without CoA.

Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Stroke with a Large Ischemic Core: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Endovascular thrombectomy (ET) efficacy and safety in stroke with a large ischemic core is still inconclusive as this population has been underrepresented in ET randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing RCTs, which were retrieved by systematically searching: PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane through February 18th, 2023. Our primary outcome was neurological disability measured by the modified Rankin scale (mRS).

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Prognostication with Augmented Mean Arterial Pressure.

Background: Post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patient outcome is an important research topic. To accurately assess post-TAVR mortality, we examined a family of new echo parameters (augmented systolic blood pressure (AugSBP) and arterial mean pressure (AugMAP)) derived from blood pressure and aortic valve gradients.

Methods: Patients in the Mayo Clinic National Cardiovascular Diseases Registry-TAVR database who underwent TAVR between 1 January 2012 and 30 June 2017 were identified to retrieve baseline clinical, echocardiographic and mortality data.

Sex-based disparities and in-hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized with atrial fibrillation with and without dementia.

Study Objective: We sought to evaluate the sex-based disparities and comparative in-hospital outcomes of principal AF hospitalizations in patients with and without dementia, which have not been well-studied.

Design: This is a non-interventional retrospective cohort study.

Setting And Participants: We identified principal hospitalizations of AF in the National Inpatient Sample in adults (≥18 years old) between January 2016 and December 2019.

The efficacy and safety of tenecteplase versus alteplase for acute ischemic stroke: an updated systematic review, pairwise, and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Tenecteplase (TNK) is a promising candidate to replace alteplase as the standard of care for acute ischemic stroke (AIS); however, the optimal dosage is still to be investigated. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the safety and efficacy of TNK versus alteplase and to investigate the optimal TNK dosage. A systematic review, pairwise, and network meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from WOS, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and PubMed until July 26, 2022.

All-cause and in-hospital mortality after aspirin use in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: With the results of the largest randomized controlled trial (RECOVERY) and the most extensive retrospective cohort study on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recently published, we performed a meta-analysis on the association of aspirin with mortality of COVID-19. We aimed to investigate the role of aspirin in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Materials And Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases for studies from 1 January 2020 until 20 July 2022, that compared aspirin versus non-aspirin use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19 Positive Status is Associated with Increased In-hospital Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) may have concomitant positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to compare the risk of in-hospital mortality in patients primarily hospitalized for AMI with or without concomitant COVID-19 positive status. Using the random-effects model, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published articles from December 1, 2019, to April 1, 2022.

Storage and analysis of light-matter entanglement in a fiber-integrated system.

The deployment of a full-fledged quantum internet poses the challenge of finding adequate building blocks for entanglement distribution between remote quantum nodes. A practical system would combine propagation in optical fibers with quantum memories for light, leveraging on the existing communication network while featuring the scalability required to extend to network sizes. Here, we demonstrate a fiber-integrated quantum memory entangled with a photon at telecommunication wavelength.

Safety and Efficacy of Ultra Short-duration Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Interventions: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is required after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to reduce stent thrombosis, but DAPT increases bleeding risks. The optimal duration of DAPT that provides the maximum protective ischemic effect along with the minimum bleeding risk is unclear. This is the first meta-analysis comparing outcomes for 1-month versus longer DAPT strategies following PCI.